Electric lamp.



E. A. HAWTHORNE.

BLEGTRIG LAMP.

APPLIGATIQN FILED JUNE 25, 191s.

Paend Maf. 24, 1914 @MNNNNNN @ses ELLS'WORTH il., PAW'THRNE, l? .E

'at i 'www1' uw ..DGEPORT, CDNNECTICUT.

nrlnornrc r. :en

Specification of Letters SPatent.

Application filed June 25, 1913.

Patented Iller. let. llllll i.

Serial No. 775,636.

To' all whom it may concern Be it known that l, ELLswonrn A.. Haw# frHonnn, a citizen of the United States7 residing' at No, 35 Spruce street, Bridgeport, county of Fairlield, and State el Connecticut, have invented ein improvement in Electric Lamps, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings represent-ing like parts.

This invention relates to electric lamps,

whose source oi supply is a battery contained within the lamp. casing, and more especially to the switch by means of which trating the manner in which the cap of the casing;` is attached and detached; Fig'. 3 is a side elevationy of a portion of the lamp illustrating a pai-tof the cap-retaining devices; Fig. 4 is -a plan section on line il-4 ot Fig, l; and Fig. 5 is a central vertical section illustratinga modification of the switch.

Referring to the drawings, and to the einl bodiinent of my invention which l have selected for illustrative purposes, l have there shown an electric lamp having a vinetallic casing @constituting a, housing for'one or more batteries 7. ln the present instance, the casing is closed at the bottornand is provided at the top with an oriiice' 8 for the introduction of the battery. W'hile l may elnploy any suitable type of battery, l haveselected for illustration a battery comprising yan insulated jacket 9, inclosingtwo dry cells 10-10, each having a terminal ll located centrally at one end thereof, and a metallic casing 12, constituting the other terminal of the cell. These two cells are placed end'to end, so that the terminal l1 ot' one abuts against the bottoni of the metallic casing 12 of the othpr. It will be understood, however, that the described battery is merely typical, and any appropriate battery may be employed. Herein the lmvercell l@ rests upon a conductor 13, comprisme;P a strip of metal bent to 'form a spring leheueath the cell, for a purpose which. will presently ap pear, said conductor extending thence between inner and outer layers of the insulating' jacket to a point at one side ot the lamp casing` adjacent the top, where the conductor contacts with one 'terminal l5 0f an incandescent lamp 16, while the other terminal 17 is screwed into a socket 1S appropriately mounted in and having electrical connection with the casing- 6. The orifice of the ,casing is herein provided with. a cap 19, having an inwardly turned depending tlange 2O provided with an intern'al annular groove 2l to receive a pair oi' external lugs and appropriately termed on the casing 6.v rllhe flange 2O is herein provided with a notch or cut-away portion 24, to admit either the lug 22 or the lug 23. Adjacent this notch, the flange is bent upward to forni a stock 25, `which serves to engage one side of the lug 22, and prevent the cap 'from hein@v rotated in one direction. ln applying the cap tothe casing, the tlange20 is-rst hooked onto the under side of one of the lugs, herein the lug 23, as shown in Fig. 2, after which the opposite' side of the cap is pressed down into place, so that the lug 22 enters `the notch 2li, whereupon the cap may he rotated until the latter lag is out ot' register with the notch. The cap is now locked in the ,ease in such a manner as to he incapahle ot being withdrawn axially, without lirst rotating the same in the proper direction to bring; the notch 24g into register with the lug 22. The described cap may serve as a .switch carrying;l element, as well as a closure :tor the orice ct the casing,l and to that end, carries a contactmemloer 26, secured to, hut insulated from, the cap. This contact member is herein provided with a yieldingr arm 2'?, constituting' a spring contact having a depression 28 resting upon and making electrical con tact with the terminal 11 oft the upper cell 'of the battery. This spring arm serves sew eral'useful purposes. ln the first place, it

serves to insure a good electric connection between the Contact member and the terminal of the upper cell. ln the second place, it insures a goed Contact between the hottom of the metallic casing of the uppencell and the terminal l1 ott' the lower cell. ln the third place, it insures a good electric contact between the hottom of the loweigy'cell and the spring portion le of the lconductor l. Lastly, it holds the tlange 2l) with a rrn spring, pressure against the under side of the llt) lugs 22 and Q3, and thereby tends to hold the cap against accidental rotation.

The contact member 2G may be secured to and 'insulated from the cap in any appropriate manner, but in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is attached to the cap by means of a rivet Q9, having a square shank extending through a correspondinglyshaped perforation 31 in the contact member. The rivet and contact member are insulated from the cap by inner and outer washers 32 and 33, and a bushing 341l all formed of suitable insulating materiahsuch as liber. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, I have simply substituted for the described square shank rivet a pair of rivets 35 and`36 extending through the contact member and insulated from t-he cap and contact member by insulating washers 37 and 38, and insulating bushings 39. The Contact member 26 may serve to complete the battery circuit through the metallic casing 6 in any other appropriate manner, but herein` the casing is providedA with an internal lug 40. and the horizontally extending terminal portion of the contact member is provided with a notch 41 adapted to receive said lug,'

thereby to lock the contact member and cap against accidental rotation when. the circuiul A te is complete. The circumferential wall of the casing, being somewhat resilient, is capable of yielding to allow the lug 40 to snap into andout of the notch 41. Herein the lug 40 is rounded, and the adjacent end of the contact member is rounded or beveled at its corners,-that is to sayfhas a cam-like for mation, by reason of which it is adapted to engage the rounded lug 40 and force the latter outwardly, until the notch 41 registers with the lug, whereupon the latter will enter the notch and firmly press inwardly againstD the contact member. This will insure a firm engagement between their abutting surfaces, and moreover, since one part rubs upon the other as they are moved into or out of engagement, these surfaces are kept dry and clean, so as to make a goodelectrical connection It will be observed that the arm Q8, where it bears yupon the terminal 11, turns to and fro as 'the cap is rotated, and this also tends to prevent corrosion and to keep the'abuttin g surfaces in good electrical contact.

Referring to`Fig. 4,' I have there illus- Ytrated the manner in which the switch is operated by rotating the cap, thus moving the contact member from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines and vice versa, whereby the circuit is completed or brokenr at will. When the switch is in either position, lit is held against accidental rotation,A and 1s therefore unaffected by the vibration to which a lamp of this character when used for vehicles is subjected.

While I have herein shown and described two specific forms of embodiments of my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed" and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to two specific applications thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts nor to its specific embodiments herein shown, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated forms or embodiments of the invention maybe made without departing from the principles thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to procure is V 1. The combination with a battery, of a battery casing, and means to complete the battery circuit including a member rotatably mounted on said casing, and means carried by'said member to close the battery circuit and hold said member against rotation.

2. The combination with a battery, of a battery casinO, and means to complete the battery circuitt;l including a member rotatably mounted on said casing, and means carried by said member adapted to interengage with said casing to close the battery circuit and hold said member againstA rotation. i

3. The combination with a battery, of a battery casing havinga rotatable cap, and means carried by said cap for closing the battery circuit and holding the cap against accidental rotation. l f

4. The combination with a battery, of a battery casing having a rotatable cap, and means carried by said cap for closing the battery circuit and holding the cap by spring pressure against accidental rotation.

5. The combination with a battery, of a metallic battery casing constituting a part of the battery circuit, a movable metallic cap for said casing, and means carried by movement of said cap for completing the battery metallic battery casing constituting a part ,Y

of the battery circuit, a movable metallic cap for said casing, and means carried by movement of said cap for completing the battery circuit through said easing and holding said cap against accidental movement' with relation to said casing.

7. The combination with a battery of a battery casing having a rotatable cap, and a switch for opening and .closing the battery circuit including a contact membercarried .by said cap and engagifng one of the battery terminals at all times during the opening and closing of the battery circuit by' said switch.

8. The combination with a battery of a battery casing having a rotatable cap, and a switch for opening and ,closing the battery circuit including a contact member carried `o1";'the battery terminals with spring presi .carried .by said cap to completethe battery circuit and hold the cap against rotation. eo`

said cap and engaging one of the battery -te rminals with spring pressure at all times te clrcuitby said switch.

ya switch for opening and closing' the battery 'by but insulated from said caf) s during the opening and closing of the bat- 9. The combination withv a battery of a battery casing having a rotatable cap, and

circuit including a contact member carried and engaging one of the battery termina at all times during the opening and closing of the batbattery casing having a rotatable cap, and a switch for the battery circuit comprising a contact member secured to but insulated from said cap and constantly engaging4 one sure, said contact member being rotatable with said cap into and out or position to close the battery circuit while still engaging said battery terminal. y i

11. The combination with a batteryl of a battery casing, a. cap rotatably mounted on said casing, the latter having means interengaging with said cap normally to hold, saidcap against axial movement, and means 12. The combination with a battery, of a battery casing provided with an inwardly :tit

projecting lug, a cap swiveled on said casing, and means for completing the battery circuit comprising a contact member carried by said cap and adapted to be carried thereby into engagement With said lug.

13. The combination With a battery, of a metallic battery casing in electrical connection with one of the terminals of said battery, said casing being provided With a plurality of external lugs and an internal lug, a cap rotatably mounted on said casing and having an inwardly turned flanged engaging the under side of said external lugs, said flange having a notch to admit one of said external ings, and a contact member secured to and insulated from said cap and adapted to be carried by the rotation of said cap into and o-ut of engagement with said internal lug, said member being provided With a notch to receive said internal lug thereby to hold said cap against accidental rotation, and said member having a portion engaging the remainingv terminal of the battery with spring pressure.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ELLSWGRTH A. HAWTHORNE.

Witnesses:

E. HORACE HAWTHORNE, VERONICA L. KELLEY. 

